The Ruins
A carefree Mexican getaway becomes a claustrophobic fight for survival when tourists encounter a lethal living presence in a remote jungle ruin.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- bleak
- late night horror marathon
- creature feature night
What critics said
Critics generally found the premise and cast effective at generating tension, but considered the script uneven and the gore excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The threat is a carnivorous plant living among the archaeological ruins and manipulating the group's perception and movement.
The travelers are confined to a remote jungle ruin while local forces prevent them from leaving.
The film builds dread around the group's deteriorating situation and interpersonal desperation rather than relying solely on sudden scares.
A Mexican holiday becomes a lethal ordeal when foreign travelers enter an isolated archaeological site they do not understand.
Films like The Ruins, and why
The Descent
shares survival horror, isolated wilderness, escalating bodily threat, and claustrophobic group conflict
The Devil's Rock
shares jungle isolation, creature-driven terror, graphic physical danger, and desperate survival
Cabin Fever
shares vacationers trapped in an unfamiliar environment, psychological tension, and brutal horror escalation
Movie Details
- Director
- Carter Smith
- Release Date
- 2008-04-02
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (1498)
Cast
- Jonathan Tucker
- Jena Malone
- Shawn Ashmore
- Laura Ramsey
- Joe Anderson
- Sergio Calderón
- Jesse Ramirez
- Balder Moreno
- Dimitri Baveas
- Patricio Almeida Rodriguez
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ruins about?
- A carefree Mexican getaway becomes a claustrophobic fight for survival when tourists encounter a lethal living presence in a remote jungle ruin.
- What is The Ruins like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ruins as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Ruins violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Ruins as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Ruins?
- Critics generally found the premise and cast effective at generating tension, but considered the script uneven and the gore excessive.
- Which films are like The Ruins?
- Films with a similar feel include The Descent, The Devil's Rock, and Cabin Fever.
- How long is The Ruins?
- The Ruins runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ruins?
- In United States, The Ruins streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
